Portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants

ABSTRACT

A portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants includes a portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel for holding and pouring water having a spout and, inside the portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel, moving water and still water processing module cooperative to remove inorganic and organic pollutants from water received batchwise by the vessel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of co-pending U.S.non-provisional application Ser. No. 11/163,160, filed Oct. 7, 2005,which is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No.10/726,779, filed Dec. 3, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,523, both of thesame inventive entity as herein, incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is drawn to the field of water purification, moreparticularly, to point of use water purifiers, and more particularly, toa novel portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of waterpurified of organic and inorganic pollutants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Systems that treat water for regional consumption such as municipalwaterworks and systems that treat water for point of use consumption arethe two basic types of systems by which water may be treated to removeimpurities. The municipal systems, of course, afford no purification ofother than “city” water, such as well water, and organic and inorganicimpurities often remain in “city” water notwithstanding filtration, UVtreatment, ozone treatment or treatment by any of the other waterpurification techniques well-known to those of skill in the art. Thepoint of use systems for their part may be locally installed orportable. However, point of use systems installed into existing plumbingare typically line-powered, requiring line voltage and current for thetreatment of water, and often involve an expense beyond the budget ofmany consumers for equipment acquisition, installation services andperiodic maintenance. The portable point of use systems on the otherhand are often cumbersome, suitcase-sized units that are difficult touse, involving multiple manual treatment steps, or do not remove bothinorganic and organic impurities, and sometimes are no less expensive toacquire and maintain than their installed counterparts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It accordingly is the general object of the present invention to providea novel point of use water purifier, and more particularly, to provide aportable, refillable water dispenser that itself serves batches of waterpurified of both organic and inorganic pollutants. As used herein, theterm “organic” in the phrase “organic pollutants” refers to “livingorganisms” such as bacteria, and the term “inorganic” in the phrase“inorganic pollutants” refers to “non-living, organic (carbon) orinorganic compounds.”

In general terms, the present invention contemplates a portable,refillable water dispenser serving batches of water purified of organicand inorganic pollutants that includes a portable, refillable andhand-holdable vessel for holding and pouring water having a spout and,inside the portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel, moving waterand still water processing modules cooperative to remove inorganic andorganic pollutants from water received batchwise by said vessel. Themodule processing moving water disposed inside the vessel is adapted toreceive water to be processed batchwise, and is further adapted to causethe water to be processed received batchwise to move through aflow-through filter to remove inorganic impurities and then out of saidmodule. The module processing still water disposed inside the vessel isadapted to receive the water that flows out said module processingmoving water and to contain it batchwise as a body of still water influid communication with said spout of said vessel, and is furtheradapted to provide UV radiation that is omnipresent to every region ofeach said body of still water contained batchwise therein with anintensity and a duration to neutralize organic impurities at everyregion of said body of still water contained batchwise therein. In thismanner, water from which inorganic impurities have been removed and inwhich organic impurities have been neutralized may be dispensed throughsaid spout of said portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel.

Preferably, the portable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel includes apitcher with an open mouth and side and bottom walls that provide abasin for containing and pouring still water, a handle to one side ofthe pitcher, and a lid removably mounted to said open mouth of saidpitcher. The module processing moving water preferably includes a bucketmounted inside said pitcher with its mouth in fluid communication withsaid mouth of said pitcher having an ion exchange and activated carbonflow-through filter bed that is fed by gravity action with water to beprocessed that is poured batchwise into said bucket all at once. Themodule processing still water preferably includes a single UV lineradiator upstanding in, and centrally disposed within, said basin ofsaid pitcher and a battery-powered controller carried by the pitcherthat includes a control panel and user interface, preferably located onits handle, operatively coupled to the single UV line radiator.

Preferably, the removable lid includes a fill opening, and a louvereddisc valve cooperative therewith to allow water to be poured through thefill opening batchwise into the bucket of the moving water processingmodule while blocking direct viewing of the UV line radiator.

Operation of the presently preferred portable, refillable andhand-holdable water dispenser serving batches of water purified oforganic and inorganic pollutants is elegantly straightforward. All thatis needed is to pour water to be processed batchwise into the bucket ofthe moving water processing module either directly, when the lid isremoved, or through the fill opening, when the lid is attached to thepitcher, and to start the processing sequence by actuation of thecontrol panel and user interface. The controller of the still waterprocessing module waits for a first time to allow the water to beprocessed that has been poured batchwise into the bucket to move throughthe moving water processing module flow-through filter to removeinorganic impurities therefrom, then actuates the UV line radiator for asecond time to neutralize organic impurities in the body of still watercontained batchwise in the basin of the still water processing module,after which time it provides an indication at the control panel that abatch of water purified of organic and inorganic pollutants is ready tobe dispensed through the spout of the pitcher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, inventive aspects and advantageous features ofthe present invention will become apparent as the invention becomesbetter understood by referring to the following, solely exemplary,detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments thereof, andto the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable, refillable water dispenserserving batches of water purified of organic and inorganic impurities inaccord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the midsection thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the midsection of theremovable lid of the portable, refillable water dispenser of FIGS. 1 and2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the removable lid; and

FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram of the portable, refillable andhand-holdable water dispenser serving batches of water purified oforganic and inorganic impurities in accord with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, generally designated at 10 is aportable, refillable water dispenser serving batches of water purifiedof organic and inorganic impurities in accord with the presentinvention. The portable, refillable water dispenser 10 includes aportable, refillable and hand-holdable pitcher 12 for containing,receiving and pouring water having a handle 14 to one side thereof, apour spout 16 and a removable lid 18. Any portable, refillable waterdispenser for receiving, containing and dispensing water such as astandalone, countertop water purifier, may be employed without departingfrom the inventive concepts. A control panel and user-interface 20 to bedescribed is mounted on the handle 14. A flip lid 22, cooperative withthe spout 16 of the pitcher 12, and a fill opening generally designated24 and cooperative louvered disc valve to be described having actuationhandle 26, are carried by the removable lid 18.

As best seen in FIG. 2, a bucket generally designated 28 is mountedinside the pitcher 12 having side and bottom walls 30, 32 that bound avolume whose capacity, when filled, accepts water to be purified pouredbatchwise all at once thereinto. A flow-through filter generallydesignated 34 is removably mounted in an opening provided therefor inthe bottom wall 32 of the bucket 28 that is fed with water to beprocessed received batchwise in the bucket 28 by action of gravity.Water to be processed received batchwise by the bucket 28 flows intoinlet ports generally designated 36 of flow-through filter 34, thoughion exchange and activated carbon filter media, not shown, containedinside the walls of inner and outer cups 38, 40 to remove inorganicimpurities, and out outlet port generally designated 42 at the top andto the side of flow-through filter 34 away from the spout 16 of thepitcher 12. Reference in this connection may be had to commonlyassigned, co-pending United States utility patent application entitled“Filter Cartridge for a Standalone Point of Use Water PurificationDevice,” filed on even date herewith, incorporated herein by reference.Any suitable moving water processing module adapted to receive water tobe processed batchwise and further adapted to cause the water beprocessed received batchwise to move through a flow-through filter toremove inorganic impurities may be employed without departing from theinventive concepts, and a flow-through filter having other than an ionexchange and activated carbon flow-through filter media such asactivated carbon block media, ceramic media, or semipermeable membranes,may be employed.

The pitcher 12 has side walls 44 and a contained bottom wall 46 thatprovide a basin in fluid communication with the spout 16 for receiving,holding and pouring water. The side walls 44 of the pitcher 12 arefashioned of a material that is transparent to ambient light and opaqueto UV light, such as plastic. The capacity of the basin is at least asgreat as the capacity of the bucket 28.

A single UV line radiator generally designated 48 is upstanding in, andcentrally positioned within, the basin of the pitcher 12. The UV lineradiator 48 includes a two hundred fifty-four (254) nm cold cathodefluorescent lamp (CCFL) 50 and protective, UV transparent quartz sheath52 mounted in water-tight sealing relation to the bottom wall 46 of thepitcher 12. The UV lamp 50 of the UV line radiator 48 is operativelyconnected to a controller to be described supplied by power frombatteries 52 carried in an electronics pack generally designated 54attached to the bottom wall 46 of the pitcher 12. The electronics pack54 is connected to the control panel and user interface 20 via cable 56that is threaded through the handle 14 of the pitcher 12.

Water to be processed received batchwise by the bucket 28 of the movingwater processing module is received in the basin of the pitcher 12 as itflows streamwise through the flow-through filter 34 thereof, which,after all the water of a batch has flowed therethrough, is containedbatchwise as a body of still water in the basin of the pitcher 12 influid communication with the spout 16. The body of still water containedbatchwise in the basin completely submerges the UV line radiator 48. TheCCFL 50, actuated by the controller in response to user control input tothe control panel and user interface 20 in a manner to be described,provides UV radiation that is omnipresent to every region of the basincontaining the body of still water received batchwise with an intensityand a duration to neutralize inorganic impurities at every region of thebody of still water contained batchwise in the basin of the pitcher 12.The controller thereafter provides a signal indication at the controlpanel and user-interface 20 that a batch of water purified of organicand inorganic pollutants is ready for dispensation through spout 16. Anystill water processing module adapted to receive water from the movingwater processing module and contain it batchwise as a body of stillwater other than the basin of the pitcher 12 and further adapted toprovide UV radiation that is omnipresent to every region of the body ofstill water received batchwise with an intensity and a duration toneutralize inorganic impurities at every region of the body of stillwater contained batchwise other than the battery-powered, single UV lineradiator upstanding in, and centrally disposed within, the basin of thepitcher may be employed without departing from the inventive concepts.

Referring now to FIG. 3, generally designated at 60 is a longitudinalview through the midsection of the removable lid 18 of the portable,refillable water dispenser serving batches of water purified of organicand inorganic pollutants in accord with the present invention. The fliplid 22 is pivotally mounted on an axle 62 best seen in FIG. 4. The fliplid 22 covers the pour spout 16 of the pitcher 12 while allowing watercontained in the basin thereof to be dispensed therethrough. The bucket28 includes a front wall 56 that intercepts the line of sight from thepour spout 16 to prevent direct viewing of the UV line radiator 48 inthe basin of the pitcher 12 as schematically illustrated by arrow 58 inFIG. 2. A lid seat sensing switch 64, such as a magnetic reed switch, ismounted to the removable lid 18 to disable the UV line radiator 48 inthe basin of the pitcher 12 when the removable lid 18 is off of thepitcher 12.

A louvered disc valve generally designated 66 retained by cap 68 onrotary bearing 70 is mounted for rotation to the underside of theremovable lid 18 adjacent the fill opening 24 thereof. The louvered discvalve 66 includes the actuation handle 26, and as best seen in FIG. 4, adisc valve 72 and a louver generally designated 74, whose openinggenerally designated 76 is provided with a series of slanted, radiallyspaced fins 78. Water received through fill opening 24 of the removablelid 18 with the louvered disc valve 66 rotated to its fully openedposition illustrated in FIG. 4 by handle 26 flows through the louveropening 76 into the bucket 28 while the slanted fins 78 thereof blockdirect viewing of the UV line radiator 48 within the pitcher 12 asschematically illustrated by dashed arrow 80 in FIG. 3. As will beappreciated, the slanted fins 78 of the louvered disc valve 66 blockdirect viewing of the UV line radiator 48 inside the pitcher 12 when itis not in any of its non-fully-closed positions, not shown, which arenot further described herein for the sake of brevity of exposition.Another mechanism that allows water to be processed to be receivedbatchwise through the removable lid while blocking direct view of the UVradiator other than the louvered disc valve 66 may be employed withoutdeparting from the inventive concepts.

Referring now to FIG. 5, generally designated at 90 is a block circuitdiagram of the portable, refillable water dispenser serving batches ofwater purified of organic and inorganic pollutants in accord with thepresent invention. Controller 92, supplied with DC power from battery94, is operatively coupled to UV line radiator 96. A lid seat sensor 98is electrically connected to the controller 92. A control panel and userinterface 100 is electrically connected to the controller 92. Thecontroller 92 may be powered by AC line power or a combination of AC andrechargeable DC without departing from the inventive concepts.

In operation, the controller 92 in response to sequence initiation inputvia the control panel and user interface 100 waits a first time to allowwater to be processed received batchwise in the bucket to move throughthe moving water processing module and into the basin of the pitcherwhere it is contained as a body of still water. For an exemplarythirty-two (32) ounce capacity bucket, water received batchwise takesabout takes about ten (10) minutes to drip through its flow-throughfilter. After the first time lapses, the controller 92 actuates the UVline radiator 96 to provide UV radiation that is omnipresent to everyregion of the body of still water contained in the basin of the stillwater processing module with an intensity and a second time duration toneutralize inorganic impurities at every region of the body of stillwater contained in the basin of the still water processing module.Different second time durations may be selected for “city” versus waterfrom wells or other sources. For an exemplary thirty-two (32) ouncecapacity basin, five (5) minutes of irradiation neutralizes organicimpurities in “city” water and ten (10) minutes neutralizes organicimpurities in well water. If at any time during the processing sequence(or at any other time) a signal is detected from the lid seat sensor 98,the controller disables the UV line radiator 96 and resets its watertreatment sequence. Otherwise, after the second time has elapsed, thecontroller 92 provides a signal indication at the control panel and userinterface 100, such as by illuminating a light or causing an audiosignal to sound, that a batch of water purified of organic and inorganicpollutants is ready to be served through the spout of the pitcher. Thecontroller monitors the time since it was last actuated, and if apredetermined third time elapses, such as twenty-four (24) hours, sinceit was last actuated, it provides a signal indication at the controlpanel and user interface to retreat the batch of water. Manymodifications of the presently disclosed invention will become apparentto those of skill in the art without departing from the inventiveconcepts.

1. A refillable water dispenser serving purified water, comprising: aportable, refillable and hand-holdable vessel for holding and pouringwater having a spout and a basin and, coupled to the portable,refillable and hand-holdable vessel, moving water and still waterprocessing modules cooperative to remove water pollutants and neutralizemicroorganims; said module processing moving water coupled to saidvessel is adapted to receive water to be processed batchwise, and isfurther adapted to cause the water to be processed received batchwise tomove through a flow-through filter containing flow-through filter mediaadapted to remove water pollutants as the received water movestherethrough and then out of said module processing moving water intosaid basin which contains it as a body of still water in fluidcommunication with said spout of said vessel; and said module processingstill water coupled to said vessel and cooperative with said moduleprocessing moving water includes a UV radiator operative to provide UVradiation of an intensity and duration to neutralize microorganisms insaid basin containing still water from which water purified of saidwater pollutants and microorganisms may be served through said spout. 2.The refillable water dispenser serving purified water of claim 1,wherein said module processing moving water is operative to provide asignal that is indicative that the water in the basin has been purifiedof microorganisms and is ready to drink.
 3. The refillable waterdispenser serving purified water of claim 1, wherein said flow-throughfilter contains an ion exchange and activated carbon flow-through filterbed that is fed by gravity action with water to be processed that ispoured batchwise into said moving water processing module all at once.4. The refillable water dispenser serving purified water of claim 1,wherein said UV radiator of said module processing still water isdisposed within said basin of said pitcher, and wherein said moduleprocessing still water includes a controller having a control panel anduser interface that is operatively connected to said UV radiator.
 5. Therefillable water dispenser serving purified water of claim 4, whereinsaid controller is battery-powered.